2025 Speakers
Avant South brings together visionaries and changemakers who are shaping the future of innovation. From bold startup founders to powerhouse corporate leaders, our speakers don’t just talk innovation—they live it.
New speakers are being added regularly, so check back often for the latest additions.

Chris Crist
Sr. Deputy Gen. Manager and CIO
Chris Crist is Senior Deputy General Manager and CIO at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, overseeing all technology operations, from cybersecurity and data management to AI and innovation. With nearly 20 years leading tech teams in transportation, healthcare, and the military, he previously served as CIO for hospital systems and Chief of Enterprise Transformation for U.S. Transportation Command, managing a $540M modernization portfolio. At Hartsfield-Jackson, he directs IT across 4,700 acres, enhancing resiliency, biometrics, and automation for 110M passengers annually. A U.S. Air Force Reserve officer for 19 years, Crist holds an Ed.D. from Vanderbilt, an MBA in IT Management, and multiple IT certifications.

Marc Gorlin
CEO and Founder
Marc Gorlin is the founder and CEO of Roadie, a UPS company. Roadie is a logistics management and crowdsourced delivery platform that provides businesses with a faster, cheaper, and more scalable delivery solution. Before launching Roadie, Gorlin co-founded Kabbage Inc., VerticalOne Corporation, and Pretty Good Privacy. He received the 2021 EY Entrepreneur of the Year National Award, the 2022 John Imlay Leadership Award, and is a 2024 Georgia Technology Hall of Fame inductee.

Justin Honaman
Head, Worldwide Retail, Restaurants, and Consumer Goods Business Development
Amazon Web Services

Justin Honaman
Head, Worldwide Retail, Restaurants, and Consumer Goods Business Development
Justin Honaman leads the worldwide Retail, Restaurants, and Consumer Goods industry strategy and business development team at Amazon Web Services (AWS). His team’s focus is on helping global customers understand, navigate, and leverage Amazon’s supply chain, advertising, e-commerce, physical store, artificial intelligence, digital core, and customer experience capabilities. Honaman has spent the majority of his career in Consumer Goods and Retail, working on both the customer side (Coca-Cola, Georgia Pacific) and the technology/consulting side (Accenture, EY). In the industry and community, Honaman serves on the board for the Georgia Technology Authority, Consumer Goods Technology, Western Michigan Food Marketing, and Leadership Atlanta. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Mike Malakhov
Founder and CEO
Mike Malakhov is the founder and CEO of Carpool Logistics, a technology-enabled platform transforming vehicle transport into a strategic advantage for dealers, auctions, original equipment manufacturers, and fleets. With nearly two decades in logistics, his expertise includes building scalable logistics solutions and integrating technology to enhance operational efficiency. Malakhov holds a Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain and Finance from Georgia Southern University and an MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.

Eric Phillips
Sr. Vice President and Chief Digital Officer
Eric Phillips is senior vice president (SVP) and chief digital officer at Delta Air Lines, leading teams that deliver personalized, seamless, and premium digital experiences. In his more than 25 years at Delta, he has held numerous positions across the business, including corporate strategy, business development, network planning, and financial planning. He previously oversaw all airport customer service activities for Delta as SVP of Airport Customer Service, Cargo Operations, Ground Support Equipment, and Global Clean; before that, he served as SVP, Pricing and Revenue Management. He holds a B.A. from Carroll College and an MBA from Notre Dame.

Chris Smith
CEO
Chris Smith is the CEO and co-founder of Slip Robotics, a fast-growing startup deploying robots that load and unload trucks in less than five minutes. Smith has over a decade of experience in robotics and industrial engineering, including factory simulation and material flow optimization at Tesla and Cummins. Smith also holds an MBA and a master’s in manufacturing systems from Brigham Young University.

and more!
Stay tuned - more speaker
announcements coming soon!